SEPTEMBER 12
Welcome back!
I am praying for you from my office as I write this. I am asking the Holy Spirit to fill you this day with His Goodness.
Today, we’re going to ask The Lord to help us with endurance and patience. I am pretty sure this prayer from Paul is for me!!
This season of life has really stretched my endurance… How about you?
A couple of years ago, I was standing in the lobby of our North San Jose campus greeting guests. I was standing there as someone was pouring out their heart to me. I was about to reach out and place my hand on their shoulder to pray, when one of my kids runs up and says, “Hey Dad, can you hold my pizza?!”
“Umm. Sure. I’ll hold it… Will you please come back and get it?”
I kind of feel like that with this season of life. I was doing my thing, and someone walked up and said, “Hey, can you please hold this…”
Eventually, that piece of pizza would have started to stink! The thing for me that starts to stink, if I’m not careful, is my perspective. I need my mind to be renewed so that I can endure.
Let’s read this verse together.
Colossian 1:11-12:
“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people who live in His light.”
Notice how Paul encourages us to be “always thanking the Father.” As I meditate on this verse, it seems that Paul is inferring that part of the secret to endurance is tucked within our perspective.
Today, let’s start our prayers by thanking The Father for the good things He has done for us. It might be good to make a list in a journal somewhere or on your phone. Let’s take a moment to run through what He’s done and is doing, so that we can be renewed in our minds.
Then, as we do this, let’s ask Him to help us endure with patience. Let’s pray for our church to endure with great patience, as well. Let’s pray that He would help us be faithful as we endure. Perhaps you would ask Him to stir in your heart strength to invite a friend to church online tomorrow.
Let’s pray…
“Father, we thank you. You are good. You have blessed us with more than we deserve. You are faithful. Thank you for mercy. Thank you for your stability and strength. You don’t change.
Please fill my heart today with gratitude. I also ask that you would help me endure. Help me stay patient with the process. Please give me strength today and courage to invite a friend to church. Please help me live on mission today in this season of life.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
See you tomorrow! Let’s be praying today that The Lord would bless the kickoff of our new Relationship Playbook series tomorrow, so that more people may come to experience Him and His steadfast love and faithfulness – especially in these turbulent times.
With love,
Pastor Andy
Comment below with your prayers, reflections, and whatever is on your heart as we pray together today.
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Amen. We are so blessed. Thank you Jesus.